Bringing It Back To The Basics
The Basics are the things that never change. They are the core to every exercise we do and every meal we eat. We can sometimes get caught up in trying new things that we forget about the most important part which is, the basis.
Even professional athletes need to bring it back sometimes. If we do not have the basic form down, injuries can happen which will prevent us from reaching our true potential.
The Basics: Form
Form, form, form. I talk about it all the time. The reason for that is….Because It Is So Important! If you do not have your form correct, injuries can happen and you wont be able to put your muscle under the amount of stress that is needs to adapt and grow.
Squats: Weight in your heels. Sit back like you are sitting down into a chair. Chest up and shoulders back. Sit to about a 90 degree bend in your knees. When you stand, squeeze your glutes.
Lunges: Step wide to make sure there is a 90 degree bend in both of your knees. Weight in the front heel. As you stand, push though your front heel. Take your time with lunges. The faster you go, the less stable you are which may cause you to fall over.
Overhead Press: Dumbbells start wide at your shoulders. As you raise, they come together above your head, slights foward. As you lower, your elbows stay in line with your shoulders. Make sure you keep your shoulders relaxed and not raised towards your ears.
Plank: Your wrists should be in line with your shoulders and elbows. Your shoulder blades are pulled back towards your feet. Your hips are level with your whole body. Squeezing your glutes will help with balance and keeping your core engaged. Neck is neutral, no looking at your feet!
When you are lifting a weight, make sure you do full range of motion for each exercise. For example, a curl you will fully extend your arm and fully contract. You never want to lock your joints though so there will always be a slight little bend in your joint. Also, make sure you breath! You want to bring oxygen to the working muscle!
The Basics: Nutrition
There are many many many diets out there! Some say low fat, some say low carb and some say when you can and can not eat. Every body is different so nutrition is going to work differently for everyone. There still are the basics that we all need to follow.
Water: Make sure you are drinking enough water! If you workout make sure you are drinking even more water. Dehydration can make us feel hungry and that isn't good for weight loss. Also, it helps our bodies function properly. Make sure you are getting at least 64oz of water in a day. If you had a heavy workout that day, drink a little more!
Protein: Protein is the main resource for muscle recovery and growth. Without it, our muscles can not become bigger and stronger. Try to have at least 3-4 oz of protein at each meal. A rule of thumb is to have .8-1 g per body pound per day. Not only will protein keep you full longer, it also speeds up the recovery process of your muscles, especially after a workout!
Carbs: We need carbs for energy. There are good carbs and bad carbs. Make sure you are getting good complex carbs in your diet such as sweet potatoes, brown rice and whole grain toast. Also, make sure you are having them around your workout for that extra energy that is needed.
Fats: Fats are important to keep your joins, hair, skin, eyes and brain healthy. Fat isn't bad like you've all heard. It helps with energy and fat burning. Make sure you stick with the healthy fats such as coconut oil, nuts, fish oil, flaxseed oil and so on.
A couple more basics that I want you to remember are stretching and rest days. These two things are just as important as the workout itself. Your muscles need to be prepared to take on the work you're about to put them through. Rest is when your muscles adapt and grow so it is important to get enough rest and recovery time and SLEEP!
Follow these basics and you will be hitting your goals in no time!!